28 replies to this topic

[Pescados]

Hi
We’re new to fish keeping and are getting quite confused with lots of different and often conflicting advice and information so we thought we’d ask the experts.

Our tank dimension is 62 cms wide x 38cms deep x 72cms high
The capacity is 130 litres) - The tank has a heater (currently turned off).

We’ve put course gravel in the bottom with Texas Holey Rock for hidey holes and some plants. We’re currently cycling the aquarium to get the biological filter established. We have a few goldfish living in the tank at the moment.
Water looks crystal clear but is showing some ammonia and nitrate when tested, so we’re adding a bio-enzyme and a buffer to remove ammonia etc.

We’d like to keep Cichlids and wonder if the tank we have will be suitable???

The advice received so far ranges from:
Yes no worries up to 10 fish,
Yes 1 male + 3 females would be ok,
7 assorted fish should be ok… and finally
No don’t go there you’d be better off with tropical

We’ve done a bit of research on the net and have identified four possibilities
• Pseudotropheus Socolofi (Powder Blue Cichlid)
• Maylandia Zebra (Zebra Cichlid)
• Aulonocara hansbaenschi (Peacock Cichlid)
• Labidochromis caeruleus (Electric Yellow Cichlid)

So, here are the questions:
Would these be suitable fish for our set up?
If not, are there any small type Cichlids that would be a better choice?
Is it possible to mix species in a tank this size without it ending in disaster?
Are we being too ambitious for beginners?

We’d appreciate your feedback
Thanks

[golden_dase]

Hi!

It sounds like your tank is an "Aquaone AR620T". Is that correct?

You seem to want to keep African Rifites. However, I think your tank is abit too small for them... Malawi/Tangs etc. prefer a "long tank" at least 90cm long (for a small colony).

There might be some "tangs" which might be suitable for a tank that size.. "Steve Green" might be able to shed some light. He's our resident Tang expert..

Cheers!
Kevin

[kevy73]

I am no expert either, and I guess there are no real right and wrong answers....

Firstly, consider that Malawi cichlids are broken into 2 main groups...

Haps, which are open water swimming fish and mbuna (pronounced em-boona, gets ready for correction on that) which like to live among the rocks and caves...

In a smallish tank such as yours, I would suggest mbuna... the downside to some mbuna is breeds (eg: pseudotropheus) can be aggressive if you mix different types.

Most male malawi cichlids regardless of Hap or mbuna are territorial to an extent....

Ways to combat this can be overstocking, removing all accessories etc but in a small tank such as yours I would suggest a single breed only tank. You may get away with juvi yellows, but not too many. Limit the number of males... 1 male to 3 females a general rule of thumb. Again, to throw a spanner in the works for this is that sexing yellows that small is nigh on impossible...

After all the above, you may want to consider this. In a smallish tank like yours, consider maybe consider Lake Tanginyika cichlids.

A colony of multis and maybe some lelupi would look fantastic together. They are great fish to watch and the multis especially are quite hardy little fish.

Confused yet?

Kev

[shortie]

i would suggest going for tropicals/community. the tank is too small. maybe some shell dweller cichlids would be ok such as multifaciatus, brevis, occelatus, hequi, calvus.
zebras will be too aggressive for that size tank. i recommend a minimum of 3ft for most malawi cichlids.

[Cawdor]

I agree that the tank is too small for most Cichlids. Whilst you may keep them alive, they sure won't be too happy in a tank that size.
Look at shell dwellers like Shortie said, some Neolamprologus multifasciatus would be suitable.With all African Cichlids, make sure your pH is high, around 8.

[Pescados]

Hi!

It sounds like your tank is an "Aquaone AR620T". Is that correct?

You seem to want to keep African Rifites. However, I think your tank is abit too small for them... Malawi/Tangs etc. prefer a "long tank" at least 90cm long (for a small colony).

There might be some "tangs" which might be suitable for a tank that size.. "Steve Green" might be able to shed some light. He's our resident Tang expert..

Cheers!
Kevin

Hi Kevin - you're spot on - looks like we may have to rethink the whole thing
Many thanks for your feedback - it's much appreciated

[Pescados]

Hi Kev
Thanks for the feedback and you're right about the confusion... I guess the consensus is that the tanks is too small... A lesson I guess to do the research BEFORE you buy the tank. Back to the drawing board
Thanks again for your thought's - they're much appreciated
Kind regards

I am no expert either, and I guess there are no real right and wrong answers....

Firstly, consider that Malawi cichlids are broken into 2 main groups...

Haps, which are open water swimming fish and mbuna (pronounced em-boona, gets ready for correction on that) which like to live among the rocks and caves...

In a smallish tank such as yours, I would suggest mbuna... the downside to some mbuna is breeds (eg: pseudotropheus) can be aggressive if you mix different types.

Most male malawi cichlids regardless of Hap or mbuna are territorial to an extent....

Ways to combat this can be overstocking, removing all accessories etc but in a small tank such as yours I would suggest a single breed only tank. You may get away with juvi yellows, but not too many. Limit the number of males... 1 male to 3 females a general rule of thumb. Again, to throw a spanner in the works for this is that sexing yellows that small is nigh on impossible...

After all the above, you may want to consider this. In a smallish tank like yours, consider maybe consider Lake Tanginyika cichlids.

A colony of multis and maybe some lelupi would look fantastic together. They are great fish to watch and the multis especially are quite hardy little fish.

Confused yet?

Kev

i would suggest going for tropicals/community. the tank is too small. maybe some shell dweller cichlids would be ok such as multifaciatus, brevis, occelatus, hequi, calvus.
zebras will be too aggressive for that size tank. i recommend a minimum of 3ft for most malawi cichlids.

Many thanks - guess we should have done the research before we bought the tank
Kind regards

[Ronny]

Oh well, at least you did the research before you bought the fish

Now you'll just have to get another tank lol.

And then it starts...

[Pescados]

I agree that the tank is too small for most Cichlids. Whilst you may keep them alive, they sure won't be too happy in a tank that size.
Look at shell dwellers like Shortie said, some Neolamprologus multifasciatus would be suitable.With all African Cichlids, make sure your pH is high, around 8.

Many thanks - we may have to rethink the whole thing
Kind regards

[Pescados]

I suspect this might become a very expensive exercise!

Oh well, at least you did the research before you bought the fish

Now you'll just have to get another tank lol.

And then it starts...

[golden_dase]

Whichever fish you decide to keep, theres a lot of members with different areas of experience/expertise always willing to assist..

By the way, welcome to PCS!

[Terry]

You could try a mixed community tank then when it's aged add a few Apistogrammas, have a look at this link.
http://images.google...;q=Apistogramma +agassizi&spell=1

Cheers Terry

[Pescados]

Thanks Mate - I suspect there will be lots more advice sought before we get it right - but that's part of the fun I guess

Whichever fish you decide to keep, theres a lot of members with different areas of experience/expertise always willing to assist..

By the way, welcome to PCS!

That's a great idea - will look into it
Many thanks

You could try a mixed community tank then when it's aged add a few Apistogrammas, have a look at this link.
http://images.google...;q=Apistogramma +agassizi&spell=1

Cheers Terry

[Donna]

Not all African Cichlids like high pH....don't forget the amazing Krib (Pelvicachromis) which comes from the Niger River and is a softer water cichlid.....Anomalochromis from Guinea and the Jewel Cichlid (Hemichromis) can tolerate a range of water conditions, but prefer lower pH than the big lake cichlids.

All of the above Africans are relatively small fish, rarely exceeding 13 cm in captivity ...but still perhaps too large for your tank. I have only owned Pelvicachromis of that group and I would agree you tank is too small for a pair to live in and make their home. The length not the height is most important for most of the fish I keep.

Regards,

Donna

[Pescados]

Thanks Donna

Not all African Cichlids like high pH....don't forget the amazing Krib (Pelvicachromis) which comes from the Niger River and is a softer water cichlid.....Anomalochromis from Guinea and the Jewel Cichlid (Hemichromis) can tolerate a range of water conditions, but prefer lower pH than the big lake cichlids.

All of the above Africans are relatively small fish, rarely exceeding 13 cm in captivity ...but still perhaps too large for your tank. I have only owned Pelvicachromis of that group and I would agree you tank is too small for a pair to live in and make their home. The length not the height is most important for most of the fish I keep.

Regards,

Donna

[Donna]

NO worries, and I reckon you could keep a pair of jewels and they would breed for you in the tank you have.....even with a Bristlenose and maybe 5 tetra, some rocks, plants, beautiful. If you would like some plastic plants pm me your address you can have all mine. I will mail them to you...you are welcome to them.

Regards,

Donna

[TWiST]

my jewels i used to have would nail tetra's, they used to eat gambusia all the time (in a 6ft tank) so i dont reccomend tetras with them

[Donna]

Really, that's interesting...even the larger tetra like some black neons? I can see them easily dispatching a neon

I have found with tetra they need plantings at each end of the tank and they can escape most cichlid attention Would that help?

Thanks for the interesting info.

Regards,

Donna

[TWiST]

it might be a little bit to do with i feed all my fish live food, they may have been copying the green terror and texas

[the pulpican man]

Hi
We’re new to fish keeping and are getting quite confused with lots of different and often conflicting advice and information so we thought we’d ask the experts.

Our tank dimension is 62 cms wide x 38cms deep x 72cms high
The capacity is 130 litres) - The tank has a heater (currently turned off).

We’ve put course gravel in the bottom with Texas Holey Rock for hidey holes and some plants. We’re currently cycling the aquarium to get the biological filter established. We have a few goldfish living in the tank at the moment.
Water looks crystal clear but is showing some ammonia and nitrate when tested, so we’re adding a bio-enzyme and a buffer to remove ammonia etc.

We’d like to keep Cichlids and wonder if the tank we have will be suitable???

The advice received so far ranges from:
Yes no worries up to 10 fish,
Yes 1 male + 3 females would be ok,
7 assorted fish should be ok… and finally
No don’t go there you’d be better off with tropical

We’ve done a bit of research on the net and have identified four possibilities
• Pseudotropheus Socolofi (Powder Blue Cichlid)
• Maylandia Zebra (Zebra Cichlid)
• Aulonocara hansbaenschi (Peacock Cichlid)
• Labidochromis caeruleus (Electric Yellow Cichlid)

So, here are the questions:
Would these be suitable fish for our set up?
If not, are there any small type Cichlids that would be a better choice?
Is it possible to mix species in a tank this size without it ending in disaster?
Are we being too ambitious for beginners?

We’d appreciate your feedback
Thanks

hey,

ok, i had a 100 liter tank once, i kept 2 e/yellows and 2 pulpican and a small b/n, what you could do is, buy them real small, watch them grow, when they get too BIG take them back, trade them in and buy small ones again, you could buy some kribensis or angel fish, even a real small oscar with heavy filtration, but as i said you'll have to trade them when they get too big.

hope this helps, tom